Tottenham Hotspur could exact their revenge and bleed Nottingham Forest dry as Evangelos Marinakis scrambles to sign a replacement for Elliot Anderson.
Tottenham Hotspur have the opportunity to give Nottingham Forest a taste of their own medicine...
Last summer, football.london understood that the Lilywhites triggered a £60million release clause in the contract of Morgan Gibbs-White, only for the East Midlands outfit to pull the plug and tie him down to a new deal. Forest accused Spurs of making an illegal approach for the 26-year-old midfielder, claiming that the confidentiality of said clause had been breached.
They denied Gibbs-White, who was understood to be keen on joining Tottenham, from undergoing a medical at Hotspur Way, and he later resumed pre-season preparations with the Garibaldis. Then, at the end of July, the England international signed a new contract with Forest, extending his stay until at least June 2028.
football.london understands that he had previously turned his nose up at the chance to discuss fresh terms, which would have made him the club's top earner, as well as altered or removed the release clause previously activated by the Lilywhites.
FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
In an official announcement, Forest described it as a 'record deal'. Meanwhile, Gibbs-White, who had only two years left on his previous deal, issued a statement, claiming he's always 'felt at home' and charmed by the 'enormous ambition' of Evangelos Marinakis.
Tottenham were left empty-handed and had to broaden their search for an attacking midfielder. Spurs eventually managed to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for a similar fee to that of the Englishman's release clause, securing his signature at the end of August – almost three weeks into the new season.
Fast forward 12 months or so, and the tables have turned. Manchester City look set to sign Elliot Anderson in a deal that could smash the British transfer record, leaving Forest without a holding midfielder and cash to splash.
Ironically, Lucas Bergvall has recently been linked with a move to the City Ground as Marinakis scrambles to repair Vitor Pereira's side. According to The Athletic, the 20-year-old midfielder recently informed higher-ups at Spurs of his desire to seek a new challenge elsewhere.
The report claims that Bergvall has attracted 'strong interest' from clubs in England, including Forest, and across Europe. As it stands, it remains to be seen whether the East Midlands outfit submits a bid for the Sweden international, but, if they do, the Lilywhites have the perfect opportunity to exact their revenge.
After last summer's scandal, Tottenham have the chance to not only take the moral high ground but also squeeze every last penny out of Forest. Marinakis may have no credit in the bank with Spurs, but he's got nine figures ready to spend on a new midfielder.
If push comes to shove, the Lilywhites can just give them a taste of their own medicine and pull the plug on any potential deal...